CBS Parrots President’s Talking Points

Oct 7, 2013

On Sunday, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) was on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” He faced a grilling from host Bob Schieffer, who used variations on Democratic talking points to try to shut down the Senator’s main argument – President Obama needs to get involved in the discussions and learn to negotiate.

First, from Huffington Post, Schieffer completely misled on the discussion that is actually taking place:

Cornyn repeatedly blamed President Obama for refusing to negotiate on defunding or delaying the Affordable Care Act in exchange for raising the debt ceiling and ending the government shutdown. Cornyn referred to the president as “AWOL.”

“Don’t Republicans also have to do their job?” Shieffier shot back. “[It's] almost like I’m going to throw a brick through your window unless you give me $20.”

Schieffer isn’t going as far as the White House, which called Tea Partiers terrorists, but he is calling conservatives in Congress blackmailers. Cornyn pointed out fiscal conservatives are not threatening anyone or anything. We are working to repair the harm Obamacare is doing to the economy. President Obama and Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) are fighting for a carve-out for Congress, and – most importantly – the President is refusing to treat average Americans like he treats those who have influence and favor.

Schieffer next claimed conservatives are too attached to a “wish list”:

“Senator, isn’t there something wrong when you say “I won’t fund the government unless I can attach my personal wish list to the legislation every time we vote? I’d love to see the government find a cure for cancer, but I don’t think you can say I’m not going to pass and pass any funds for the rest of the government until the NIH finds a cure for cancer. I mean, isn’t that just kind of the same thing here?”

If by “wish list,” Schieffer means defending Americans against illegal and unethical actions by the Administration, then yes, conservatives are attached to a wish list.

Finally, Cornyn pointed out to Schieffer something the “Face the Nation” host missed entirely: Republicans have negotiated. First, the GOP wanted to defund the law. Then they wanted to delay the law. Then the House tried erasing Congress’ exemption, all of which the Senate and President shot down. It is the President attaching a “wish list” to discussions.

Conservatives have voted through several compromises. They voted for the President to fully implement his own law, no favors or exemptions attached. They voted to have Democrats pass a “clean CR,” which spends $21 billion more than what sequestration – existing law – requires. And now that the House is passing bills to open up various parts of the federal government, they’re hoping Democrats will open any part of the government.

Yesterday, Schieffer said that “someone has to give” in his discussion with Cornyn, but his interview with Treasury Secretary Jack Lew makes it clear Schieffer wants Republicans to cave. Thankfully, that’s not happening yet and the country is better off for it. America finally gets to have the debate over Obamacare that is four years late.